Increasingly, wireless communication devices are used for data communications. In these data based communications, wireless communication devices often utilize software applications which enable a user to request, receive, view, and interact with the received data in many different ways. Internet browsers, instant messaging services, chat services, navigation applications, map programs, social network programs, weather services, email programs, as well as others, are commonly used in this manner on wireless communication devices.
Wireless communication devices establish communication sessions through wireless access networks. When a communication session is established for purposes of using one of the applications described above, the wireless access network establishes a packet based connection to an Internet protocol (IP) network where the requested data resides. Wireless access networks typically use a packet data server node (PDSN) to manage the interface between the wireless network and the IP networks. A point-to-point protocol (PPP) connection is established between the wireless communication device and the PDSN for purposes of the communication session. The PDSN routes packets between the wireless communication device and the packet data networks to satisfy the packet data requests from the application. Even though a wireless communication device may request data which is available on the Internet, the request is routed through and handled by the wireless access network.
Overview
A wireless packet access network includes several core packet network access points and a wireless network control system. The wireless network control system receives a packet data request from an application in a wireless communication device. The wireless network control system then determines if the application is a member of a first application group or a second application group and selects one of the core packet network access points based on which application group the application is a member of. The wireless network control system transmits the packet data request to the selected core packet network access point to initiate access to a core packet network.